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Millennials,
the coveted under-30 market, are highly discerning and tough to
attract, unless you know how to reach them.

"[Millennials] are extremely impatient with irrelevant
information, and they have no tolerance for unwieldy
experiences." says Michele Serro, a former associate partner at
IDEO, a leading design and innovation consulting firm, and
founder of New York City-based Doorsteps, an online tool for
prospective homeowners that targets young buyers. In both roles,
Serro did extensive research about millennials's preferences.

She found that reaching them effectively requires a holistic
approach to marketing -- one where the message is inseparable
from the product design itself. "The product is everything,"
Serro says. "You don't slap marketing on afterwards."

Here are four tips for marketing to that elusive Millennial
generation:

1. Align your product and message.
When you're marketing to millennials, authenticity is key.
"Millennials can see when they're being marketed to or told a
story," Serro says. False messages make the company seem
untrustworthy, which is often a dealbreaker when so many
companies are vying for their attention.

The best way to craft an honest message is to really look at what
your product communicates and offers. "[Your product] should be
telling the story,” Serro says. For example, Zappos' tagline
is "powered by service," and they have the customer service
policies and practices to back it up.

2. Show that you're listening.
Understanding millennials doesn't require guesswork -- it takes
the patience and humility to listen. Serro has found that young
people are often happy to share what they want or need,
especially if they feel that their input will help you
personalize their experience of the product.

As you talk to consumers, use their own words or sentiments to
craft your marketing messages. "What you've heard from the
consumer from the start should be what you repeat back to them,"
Serro says. For example, if your customers are most concerned
about convenience or reliability, then emphasize those qualities
in your marketing. "You're not telling them a story about what
they should want or need,” Serro says. You are simply showing
that they’ve been heard.

3. Make your message human.
Millennials have grown up immersed in social media, so they're
used to interacting directly with brands they use. To reach them
effectively, treat all of your communications, from social media
to your landing page and ads, like a real conversation. "Just
talk to people like people," Serro says.

Making your brand's messages more casual might seem
unprofessional or vulnerable, but it allows you to build a
relationship with your consumers. "It should feel like a dialogue
that honors real human emotions," Serro says. That emotional
connection ultimately motivates loyalty and trust.

4. Tell a story of possibility.
In a world advancing as fast as ours, the status quo is awfully
uninspiring. Millennials look at companies like Time Warner and
wonder why they still need an eight hour window for house calls
when FreshDirect can offer a one hour time frame for deliveries.
"We've taught [millennials] what is possible," Serro says, so
they've come to expect excellence.

When you message your product, communicate your vision for a
better world. For example, Simple turned a messy banking system
into one seamless experience; Square made credit card payments
elegant and accessible; and AirBnB made travel more communal.
That vision drives a great product, and a powerful message to
match.